Who Should I Start? Deebo Samuel Sr. or Michael Pittman Jr.

Sunday, December 14, 11:33 AM

Washington Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (illness) is officially active for Sunday's Week 15 contest against the New York Giants. He had been listed as questionable after missing Friday's practice. Samuel has played in 12 games this year, amassing 62 catches, 561 receiving yards, and five receiving touchdowns. He filled in admirably as one of Washington's top targets with Terry McLaurin sidelined. Although McLaurin is back, the Commanders lost Zach Ertz (knee) to a season-ending ACL tear last week, which means Samuel should earn more targets where he excels most: in the short to intermediate passing game. The 29-year-old ranks as a low-end fantasy WR2 and should remain involved while catching passes from Marcus Mariota on Sunday.

Friday, December 12, 11:00 PM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. had a down year in 2024. However, he's turned it around this season. In 13 appearances, the 28-year-old has 69 catches (94 targets) for 699 yards. While he could have a tough time surpassing his mark from the 2023 campaign (109 receptions), he has already amassed a career-high seven touchdowns. Unfortunately, the Colts have struggled of late, with the team losing their last three contests. To make matters worse, Daniel Jones went down with a season-ending Achilles tear in Week 14 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. As a result, Indy will turn to Philip Rivers or Riley Leonard (knee), who no longer carries an injury designation, in Sunday's meeting with the Seahawks. As expected, many feel that neither player will do enough to get Indianapolis back to the top of the AFC South. With that in mind, Pittman's fantasy ceiling might be at its lowest point of the season, especially with a challenging contest on tap. Although he's still a must-start in any setup, considering he's been a top fantasy wideout, managers should expect the worst and hope for the best in Week 15.